April 24, 2008

Rankings are from CBI Composite Poll

Around the Bases
Guez extends hit streak to 32 at W&M tops No. 20 Virginia

FIU knocks off No. 1 Miami; Southern Illinois nips No. 6 Missouri

In Charlottesville, Va., Ben Guez (left) went 3 for 5 to extend his hit streak to 32 games as William & Mary nipped No. 20 Virginia 6-5 Wednesday at Davenport Field. Guez had a two-run double in the third to start the scoring for the Tribe (30-12). A two-run double by Franco Valdes keyed a three-run fourth for the Cavaliers (32-12). A two-run homer by Tyler Stampone highlighted a three-run fifth as W&M took a 5-3 lead. The Tribe added a run in the sixth before Virginia tallied single runs in the sixth and eighth.

Florida International 6, No. 1 Miami (Fla.) 3

In Coral Gables, Fla., Ryan Mollica knocked in two as Florida International upset Miami in front of 2,483 fans at Mark Light Field. His sacrifice fly in the third started the scoring. The Golden Panthers (14-29) added three in the sixth, capped by an RBI double by John Petika. A two-run homer by Jemile Weeks keyed a three-run seventh for the Hurricanes (33-5) before Mollica’s RBI single highlighted a two-run ninth for FIU.

Southern Illinois 2, No. 6 Missouri 1

In O’Fallon, Mo., Mark Kelly’s RBI single in the top of the eighth lifted Southern Illinois over Missouri in a wood-bat game at T.R. Hughes Stadium. With one out in the eighth, Scott Elmendorf singled, moved to second on a base hit by Adam Hills and snapped a 1-1 tie by coming home on Kelly’s single. Tyler Bullock homered in the second for the Salukis (21-17). Kyle Mach had a sacrifice fly in the fifth for the Tigers (29-11).

No. 3 North Carolina 10, High Point 5

In Cary, N.C., Tim Federowicz had a double and a triple and knocked in three as North Carolina outscored High Point at Cary’s USA Baseball National Training Complex. Federowicz had an RBI double in the second to start the scoring. He had a two-run triple and scored in the seventh for a 10-4 lead. The Tar Heels (36-7) won their 11^th straight game. Billy Avino had a two-run single in the fifth for the Panthers (16-24).

No. 4 Arizona State 10, No. 18 Cal State Fullerton 8 (10)

In Fullerton, Calif., Raoul Torrez’s two-run single with two down in the top of the 10^th gave Arizona State a split of its two-game series at Cal State Fullerton. The Titans (24-14) scored a pair in the fourth to take an 8-4 lead before the Sun Devils (32-7) tallied three in the fifth and got an RBI single from Kiel Roling in the sixth to tie it at 8-8.

No. 9 Nebraska 16, Creighton 7

In Omaha, Neb., Ben Kline and Bryce Nimmo each had two-run doubles in a 13-run fifth as Nebraska thumped Creighton at Rosenblatt Stadium. The Huskers (30-7-1) had five of their school-record 10 doubles in the fifth. Jake Opitz and Craig Corriston each finished with three hits for NU. Nick Nordgren had two hits and drove in five for the Bluejays (25-15).

No. 10 South Carolina 10, Wofford 1

In Columbia, S.C., Justin Smoak smacked three homers and drove in eight as South Carolina walloped Wofford at Sarge Frye Field. It was the second time in eight days that Smoak tied the school record with three dingers in a game for the Gamecocks (31-11). Smoak had a two-run shot in the first, a grand slam in the sixth and a two-run homer in the seventh. Sam Dyson (5-0) did not allow a hit until the sixth and fanned six in six innings. Sterling Dye had two hits for the Terriers (20-22).

Kansas State 9, No. 14 UC Irvine 7

In Manhattan, Kan., Justin Bloxom’s two-out homer in the bottom of the ninth lifted Kansas State over UC Irvine at Tointon Family Stadium. Bloxom’s two-run double ignited a five-run first for the Wildcats (19-21). The Anteaters (25-10) eventually tied it in the eighth on a pinch-hit two-run homer by Brock Bardeen.

No. 15 Stanford 7, Saint Mary’s 4

In Stanford, Calif., Brent Milleville’s three-run double in the eighth carried Stanford past Saint Mary’s at Klein Field. The Gaels (20-17-1) got a two-run single from Anthony Aliotti in the first and another run in the second for a 3-0 lead. Milleville had an RBI single in a two-run second for the Cardinal (23-12-2). The game was 4-4 in the eighth when Milleville’s bases-clearing double with two outs gave Stanford the lead for good.

No. 16 Oklahoma State 5, No. 7 Wichita State 3

In Stillwater, Okla., Jordy Mercer had three hits and three RBI as Oklahoma State topped Wichita State in front of a capacity crowd at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium for its sixth straight win. Andy Dirks homered in the top of the first for the Shockers (31-8). Mercer had an RBI double and scored in the third to give the Cowboys (29-11) a 2-1 lead. After WSU tied it in the fourth, Dirks went deep again in the seventh. Mercer’s two-run shot in the bottom of the seventh gave OSU the lead for good. Donnie Webb homered in the eighth for the game’s final run.

No. 17 Vanderbilt 10, Belmont 7

In Nashville, Tenn., Jordan Wormsley’s RBI single snapped a 6-6 tie in the seventh as Vanderbilt got past Belmont at Greer Stadium. Wormsley had three hits, matching his season total, and drove in two for the Commodores (30-11). A grand slam by Andrew Giobbi in the top of the sixth gave Vanderbilt a 6-4 lead. The Bruins (15-26) scored a pair in the bottom of the frame to tie it before Wormsley’s run-scoring single was followed by a two-run double by Ryan Flaherty to give Vanderbilt a 9-6 advantage.

Wake Forest 8, No. 19 Coastal Carolina 7

In Conway, S.C., Allan Dykstra hit his 12^th home run as Wake Forest outlasted Coastal Carolina at Watson Stadium. Dykstra’s two-run shot in the first put the Demon Deacons (16-25) on the board. WFU led 8-2 in the ninth before the Chanticleers (34-8) put the winning run on second before a strikeout ended the contest.

No. 21 Kentucky 2, Western Kentucky 1

In Bowling Green, Ky., Collin Cowgill and Ryan Wilkes homered as Kentucky edged Western Kentucky in front of a school-record crowd of 3,057 fans at Nick Denes Field. The Wildcats (31-10) were held to four hits, but two left the yard as Cowgill went deep in the third and Wilkes homered in the sixth. J.B. Paxson homered in the bottom of the sixth for the Hilltoppers (23-17).